December 14th, 2009 
Description
Learn from a revered teacher, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Tai Chi Chuan Association “William C.C. Chen … has been the world’s best kept-secret.” –Inside Kung-Fu The ancient art of Tai Chi uses gentle, flowing movements to reduce stress, strengthen the body and mind, and improve overall well-being. Developed in China as a martial art, Tai Chi is a graceful form of exercise that has been practiced for centuries. Anyone, regardless of a… More >>
Tai Chi for Beginners with Grandmaster William C.C. Chen
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If you want to learn tai chi from a video, don’t spend your money on this. The movements are not fully explained and the video doesn’t make sure you’re able to see the relevant movements. The forms are not explained movement by movement, but just shown and poorly narrated. For example, the very first movement is an opening step to the right, getting your feet to be parallel and open under your shoulders. The explanation given is “50-50,” meaning you end up with your weight equally on both feet. The next movement involves a kind of lifting and rolling of the hands. The explanation: “same weight.” One can follow those motions without explanation because they’re slow, simple and shown face-on. As soon as there is any real body movement, the video becomes impossible to learn from. Very quickly, there are instructions like “turn foot in,” but one can’t quite see which foot is turning, or “step” and you can’t see which foot is stepping. There’s no explanation at all of the hand movements.
If you know the form and can’t find a master to practice with, I’m sure Grandmaster Chen would be a wonderful video-substitute, but this is not a video for beginners to learn from.
Rating: 2 / 5
Tai Chi for Beginners with Grandmaster William C.C. Chen is a DVD introduction into the ancient Chinese art of Tai Chi, a martial art that can be practiced to reduce stress, strengthen the body and mind, and improve one’s bodily well-being. Host William C. C. Chen, one of the most respected Tai Chi Grandmasters of his generation, leads the viewer through fundamental, low-impact routines. Special features include learning segments with continuous loop option; three different complete-form practices centering around basic, counting, and energy; Tai Chi tips; and audio options that include music only or music combined with descriptive instruction. An excellent starting resource for those new to Tai Chi, recommended for public library collections as well as private fitness DVD shelves. 67 minutes (plus 20 min. bonus), 16:9 widescreen.
Rating: 5 / 5